Died On This Date (May 22, 2011) Joseph Brooks / Controversial Songwriter Of “You Light Up My Life”
themusicsover Joseph Brooks
March 11, 1938 – May 22, 2011
Joseph Brooks was a filmmaker, screenwriter, and composer who is most commonly remembered for his 1977 hit single, “You Light Up My Life,” which was first recorded by Kasey Cisyk for his motion picture of the same name. The song was quickly re-recorded by Debbie Boone and released on Curb Records. The record quickly shot to #1, and to that point, held the top position for the most consecutive weeks in history. It eventually became the most successful single of the ’70s and still stands as one of the decade’s most iconic ballads. The recording for the film earned Brooks an Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe, and has since been covered by Tom Jones, Lee Greenwood, Leann Rimes, and Whitney Houston, to name a few. Brooks also wrote numerous award-winning commercial jingles, composed music for The Lords Of Flatbush, and co-produced Eddie and the Cruisers. In June of 2009, Brooks was indicted for allegedly luring unsuspecting women to his apartment in order to audition for movie roles. He was awaiting trial on as many as 11 charges of rape, assault, and other sex crimes when, on May 22, 2011, his lifeless body was discovered by a friend in Brooks’ home. His head was reportedly wrapped in a plastic dry cleaning bag which was connected to a tube from a helium tank. A suicide note was found nearby. Joseph Brooks was 73 years old when he passed away.